Page 22 of Wilder at Heart
She hits me on the arm. ‘No way! That I did not know.’
‘Yeah.’ I lean forward and throw her a bone. ‘Best kiss of my life. So when he asked me out to dinner…’
‘… You knew you’d get a decent kiss out of it, right?’
I grin. ‘Exactly. It may have swayed my decision. So obviously it’s very early days, but we’re just seeing where it’s going.’
‘Theo seems very affectionate with you, though.’
I suffer a stab of guilt. ‘That’s just Theo. He can’t keep his hands to himself. I wouldn’t read too much into it.’
‘I don’t know.’ Her eyes are dancing. ‘I have a good feeling about this one.’
My chest tightens. ‘Don’t get too excited, okay? And obviously, I want you to know it won’t affect my work on the wedding at all. I’ll be completely professional, no matter what happens with Theo.’
She waves her hand dismissively. ‘Oh, please. I hadn’t even thought about that, but of course you will. I can tell you’re really professional. Miles is so impressed by you. I can’t wait to see what he thinks of you and Theo being together—I’m sure he’s jumping for joy. Especially after…’
‘Trixie and Dixie?’
She giggles. ‘Exactly. Miles had a massive sense of humour failure over all that. So I’m sure he’s thrilled to see him with someone as amazing as you.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ I mutter, but inwardly I’m punching the air. If that’s Saoirse’s initial take on me and my ‘boyfriend’, then Theo can consider Step One of his game plan accomplished.
Later,in bed with Olive (Elle and Josh have headed back to their hotel ahead of an early call time tomorrow) I cut myself enough slack to accept that my and Theo’s first foray as a couple has been a success. I thought it would be a baptism of fire, facing Theo and Elle’s families in a false capacity, but actually, it was lovely.
Utterly lovely, aside from a brief moment of mortification when Theo tried to make out with my shoulder in front of everyone at lunch. I was so embarrassed, both at his PDA and at my body’s reaction, that I bollocked him as soon as I could. I reminded him that he needed his family to think he was capable of acting appropriately, and I needed his family to see me as a professional, so he’d better not pull any more stunts like that.
Anyway, having Elle and her parents there made me a lot more comfortable being thrown in the deep end with Theo’s family, who couldn’t have given me a warmer welcome. After lunch, I was surreptitiously checking my phone in the garden when I got cornered by Laura and Elle’s mum, Charlotte, who kind of slithered up to me in perfect sync with knowing grins, like Siamese cats, or Ursula the Sea Witch’s eels.
I looked from one to the other in a panic. They really did look awfully alike. Two perfectly groomed, blonde English roses. Miles, Theo, and Stephen got their dark hair and outrageous olive skin from Charles.
‘What?’
Laura’s smile widened.
‘Seriously. Why does this feel like an ambush?’
‘Because it is.’ Charlotte patted my arm. ‘Spill.’
A sheen of sweat immediately flickered over my skin. We’d been rumbled. Already. We’d fallen at the first hurdle, for Christ’s sake.
I played for time. Batted my eyelashes. ‘What?’ I asked again.
Laura leant in. ‘You and my darling son. We want the full story. Tell us exactly how he managed to persuade someone as lovely and… levelheaded as you to go out with him. The boy’s reputation isn’t exactly glowing at the moment.’
Lovely and levelheadedmight seem like a pedestrian compliment to you, but for me it’s the epitome of how I want to be perceived. Especially by Laura frigging Montague, who built a ten-figure hotel empire with the love of her life, and who’s a bit of a career inspiration for me. I haven’t admitted this to Theo yet, but I’ve listened to his mum on several podcasts. She’s bloody amazing. I’m sure he doesn’t realise it, having grown up with it, but his mum is kick-ass.
So I was already basking in the warmth of her words when I answered her, choosing my words carefully.
‘I’m allowing myself to enjoy your son’s ridiculous good looks and dazzling charm without letting myself get totally sucked in, if that makes sense?’
They exchanged glances and grinned at me before speaking at once. They each had a hand on one of my arms now.
‘Good.’
‘As long as he hasn’t fooled you.’
‘He’s a sweetheart?—’
